A Fathers Love
by NotYourBestFriend
Summary: A look at how Charlie really feels veiws Edward and Bella's relationship. One Shot.


I wanted to kill him.

He just had to take move here. He just had to take my daughter out. He just had to make her go home to Pheonix and her just had to let her get hurt. And he _had_ to leave. I don't know which is worse. The fact that he left or the fact he came back.

I know Bella is thrilled he's back. But I'm not. I'm not just unhappy. I'm pissed. That little creep thinks he can just stroll, all creepy like, from god knows where, carrying my daughter in his creepy arms. Ugh. He was just a creepy kid. He was so pale. He never ate with us. That didn't bother me though. I like to enjoy my meals, and I wouldn't be able to with Creepy Cullen.

I don't know what Bella see's in him. He's not all that great.

Maybe it's the hair. Yeah, maybe that's it. Or the money. But my little girl isn't a gold digger. Her mother and I ddin't raise her that way. She knows the value of a dollar. I made sure of that. Or maybe, it's the car. No, wait. It's just a Volvo. Nothing special about a Volvo.

I wonder if he hits her. Then I'd have a good reason to shoot him. A damn good reason in fact. Maybe one day Bella will come home and tell me Edward gave her a black eye.....Stop it, Charlie! You're having fantasies about your only daughter being abused by her creepy boyfriend. That's just not normal.

There relationship isn't normal, to tell the truth. The way he looks at her...it's so....protective. Like she might collapse if he wasn't within three feet. Well, maybe she would. Last September....no, don't think about it. The past is the past, it should stay in the past. I just wish that kid could get a good hard look at what he did to her. She was depressed. I was worried she was thinking about suicide.

I knew how she felt. To some extent, I guess. When Renee took off like that, I was crushed. I loved Renee so much...if she ever came back, I'd proabably pretend that she never left at all. I'd take her back like nothing ever, no time had passed. That's why I never changed the house. I used to think that maybe she really would come back one day....

But now she's married. Stupid Phil. He's what, twenty six? Yeah, well, Renee's thirty six. Ten year difference. Not okay in my book.

I was so happy when Bella came to live with me. I know I never really showed it, but I love my daughter. She's the best thing thats ever happened to me. It was lonely before she came. Empty. I spent most of my time at the station to get away from that god awful space. At least there were people at the station. No empty rooms there.

I loved the way she took over the house. It made me feel like some part of Renee was back. How she just made dinner every night, like she's done it all her life. Which she probably has, looking at Renee's cooking. How she did the laundry like it was so natural. Which, again, it probably was. But when I was a kid my mom always did most of the laundry. I was never really home. When I was younger I was outside, playing with the other kids. When I hit the teenage years I was at parties and with Renee.

She made it seem like she'd been with me all her life. I wish she had been. I would've gotten a chance to know her better. I wish I'd been there more. It would give me some sense of security knowing I did my job s a father.

But when she brought home that Cullen kid....all hell broke loose. She came back from their date, throwing things around her room, screaming at me. And then she said the exact thing Renee did when she left....did she even remember that? Or did Renee tell her? It hurt me too much to actually make an effort to go after her.

And when she was home and safe again, he destroyed all that comfort. He left her in the woods all by herself, in a teary eyed mess. God. All she did was cry. When Sam Uley found her and brought her home to me....she looked so used. So broken.

And when she started to act normal again, I thought 'Okay, she's on the road to recovery'. But boy, was I wrong. She was a zombie. Lifeless. Months of absolute silence. Little things made her jump. When I switched on the TV she practically had a heart attack. Like she thought something was coming after her....

Crazy, I know. Who would want to hurt Bella? For a few months I thought that maybe Edward threatened her. But I knew that couldn't be it. When I called Renee to come and get her, and she threw that tantrum, I knew something was up. I thought about it for weeks. And one day, I fianlly noticed something.

She was just sitting there. Staring at herself in the mirror. And it all finally came together.

She was in love.

I remembered all the times I used to just stare at myself after Renee left. Wondering what I could have done better. Wondering who this failure what looking back at me. Most of all, wondering why she left in the first place. Was I that boring? I didn't lie. I didn't hurt people. I was a cop, for gods sake. What was wrong with me?

And when I saw her reflection in the mirror, staring back at her....she looked so lost. So vulnerable. Like she might burst into tears if I made any sound. She looked like she had a broken heart.

And it made me want to kill him. Kill him for hurting Bella like that. She was so strong all the time. This must have been some serious emotion, for her to break in half like that. She loved that boy. And he walked away from a perfect girl.

He would never see what he'd done to her. Oh god, how I wished I took a picture of her during those months...

I was so mad when Bella took him back like that. It took me a while to realize that I would've done the same thing. True love conquers all. Bella thinks I don't understand. But I do. I understand better then anyone. She loves him. And there's not a damn thing I can do about it. And that torments me to know end.

Why did she love him? He was a goddamn fool.

I was surprised when I went to bed that night and found a note on my pillow. I opened it and read,

_I am a goddamn fool._

I didn't consider that he's been in here. I didn't think about how he knew thats what I thought. Only one single thought passed through my mind.

Well. At least he knew that much.


End file.
